With the proliferation of portable handheld electronic devices (smart phones, media players, and other small personal electronic devices) many protective cases for these devices have been developed. Some prior art cases combine a portable handheld electronic device protection capability with the personal-item-carrying capability of a wallet, and such prior art cases have been created using a variety of materials (leather, plastics, etc.). For example, many prior art cases offering personal-item-carrying capability have compartments for carrying personal items, such as makeup or plastic cards such as credit cards or IDs. However, such prior art cases offering compartments for carrying personal items are often too bulky to fit easily in a users' pocket or pocketbook. Moreover, it is difficult for a user to access their personal items in such prior art cases.
Some prior art cases have rigid compartments integrated into the case. Problems exist with such prior art cases because they require a user to open a compartment to access their personal items, which is time consuming and cumbersome and requires the use of both hands. Further, such rigid compartments typically have a defined and limited space, and cannot expand or contract to adapt in size to fit more or fewer, or larger or smaller, items. Other prior art cases have a slit or pocket for holding small, flat items, such as credit cards and identification cards. Those cases pose problems for users because it is often difficult to insert and remove cards from those slits, requiring users to hold the case in one hand and to pinch the edge or corner of the card tightly with the other hand in order to force a card into or out of the slit. Moreover, such prior art slits can typically only hold 1 or two cards and are not adaptable to fit other items.
Some prior art cases have attempted to solve this problem by incorporating a ribbon into a slit or pocket that loops along the interior of the pocket, below any personal effects inserted therein, and sticks out the top of the pocket. The user ejects the contents of the pocket by pulling the ribbon, which forces the contents up and out of the pocket. However, the ribbon has problems because it can break or become entangled, and thus become ineffective. Furthermore, ejecting personal effects from such ribbon apparatuses requires two hands, one to hold the device and the other to pull the ribbon.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,726,952 entitled “Wireless Phone Wallet” issuing on May 20, 2014 to Jambunathan et al discloses an adhesively attachable fabric pocket that is adhered to the backside of a cellphone. The pocket has a closed bottom and a thumb notch to help the user place credit cards or folded currency within the fabric pocket. The fabric pocket in the '952 patent does not provide protection for the cellphone, and is also susceptible to failure because of notches or holes cut into the fabric to enable access to credit cards or folded currency or to enable use of the camera.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0091689A1, entitled “Cover Having Wallet Feature for Electronic Devices”, filed on Sep. 28, 2012 to Mishan et al. describes a case that provides a cellphone with added protection but requires injection molds for each new cellphone model having different dimensions. The device has a strap or pocket for holding credit cards or folded currency that is passed through slots in a plastic backing and with the ends glued to the plastic components. The glued ends of the strap are a potential point of failure. The strap is also completely open on the bottom and may not be reliably secure for credit cards as the cover is used over long periods of time.
Accordingly, an improved design is needed for portable electronic cases that offers a sleek and slim design that can fit easily into a users' pocket or purse, and that is adaptable to allow a user to store and easily access, such as by using only one hand, a multitude of different items.